WARRINGTON Sports Personality of the Year John Nicholls recorded a 21st successive Cheshire Athletics Championships victory on Sunday - but he was not entirely satisfied with his performance.

The Stockton Heath shot put star, who also won the Warrington Sports Personality Win of the Year award last year for his 20th title, clinched victory by a massive 86cm in Macclesfield at the weekend, with Tarporley's Will Lowndes second and Culcheth's Roger Bate third.

But Nicholls' throw of 14.66m was well short of his expectations and the distance of 15.45m he threw to win the European Veterans Indoor Championships in March.

"It was appalling from my perspective because I wanted to throw a lot further," said the 41-year-old, who has won the county title in every year since 1987.

"Twelve months ago I would have been happy with 14.66m but I wanted 15 metres plus this time.

"We were delayed three-quarters of an hour and it was pouring down with rain but I don't want to make excuses.

"I've been around a long time and I know how to deal with it but I didn't.

"But I don't want to sound ungrateful, the win is great and I'm made up to win 21.

"Luckily everybody else suffered too and I live to fight another day."

Nicholls is still unsure about how long he can keep his Cheshire winning streak going, having initially said his 20th title would be his last as he contemplated retirement.

He has set his sights on winning the British Masters Championships in Birmingham at the end of July and will assess his future after that event.

He said: "I never looked past 20 but I'm not going to use the R' word again. I'm taking one competition at a time.

"I'm still on course for four out of four this year. It went wrong at the British Masters last year so hopefully this has been the one this year."